Shaft-bearing.



No. 870,810. PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907. F. T. ZIMMBRMAN.

SHAFT BEARING APP'LIOATION FILED SEPT.24.1908.

u m N I, 7 O0 M M W WITNESSES:

FRANK-T. ZIMMERMAN, or AUBURN, INDIANA.

SHAFT-BEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed September 24. 1906- $arial No. 335.852.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK T. ZIMMERMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Auburn, in the county of Dekalb, in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft-Bearings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My inventionrelates to improvements in shaft bearings, especially designed and adapted for the windwheel Shaft 'or a windmill.

It is well known that the weight of the wheel of a windmill is almost entirely supported by that portion of the bearing or boxing adjacent to the wheel, thereby subjecting this portion of the bearing to unequal wear which soon allows the windwheel shaft to get out of alinement, thereby causing derangement in the cooperative working parts of the mill; and that to remedy these conditions and restore the working parts to their normalalinement requires skilled labor, special tools, and the inconvenience of a removal of the working parts from the supporting derrick.

The object, therefore, of my present invention is to provide a cheap, simple, efiicient and convenient means for so adjustingthe supporting bearing as to compensate for the wear thereon and to maintain the wind-wheel shaft in perfect alinement, without the necessity of skilled labor, special tools or the dismounting of the operative mechanism.

My invention consists of an open-top shaft supporting boxing for that portion of the shaft subject to the greatest wear removably mounted in a suitable casing, and having .a proper bearing-bushing; a vertically adjustable pillow-block adapted to support the said boxing; arid means for adjusting the said boxing and said block to preserve the alinement of the supported shaft.

The novel features of my invention reside in the removable bearing and the means for imparting to the same a vertical adjustment.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation of my invention in position in a windmill head broken away in part. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same taken 011 the line x-x of Fig. 1, showing the relative arrangement of the shaft adjusting means. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the open-top removable bearing having a proper bushing. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the vertically adjustable pillow-block showing the arrangement of the lateral flange thereon.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the hollow main casting 1 has the horizontal integral hollow casing 2 having suitable oiling ports 3 of common construction and a proper bushing 7. To the lower end of the casting l is secured the upper end of the main shaft 4 in any proper manner, through which passes loosely the vertically reciprocating pump-rod 5 which is connected as usual'to the actuating pitman 6 whose upper free end slides freely in the fixed guide 8 on the casing 2.

In the casing 2 is .rotatably mounted the wind wheel shaft 9 carrying upon its inner end the fixed pitman wheel 10 connected eccentrically as usual to the pit- Inan rod 6.

Within the lower face of the outer end of the casing 2 is arranged an integral hollow chamber 11 having a lateral opening 12 at one side thereof, and provided at its opposite side with a small aperture 13 for the insertion of a nail or other device to push or start outward the pillow block, about to be described, when it is desired to remove the same.

The removable boxing 14 of proper thickness is of sufficient length and width to snugly fit the chamber 11, and is provided upon its upper concave face with a Babbitt metal or other proper bushing 15 adapted to snugly fit the lower face of the shaft 9.

In the chamber 11 the bushing 7 is arranged only in the upper portion of the casing 2, and a proper space 16 is left between the respective adjacent edges of this bushing 7 and the upper edges of the boxing 14 to admit of the limited vertical adjustment of the said boxing.

In the lower part of the chamber 11 directly beneath the bearing 14 and supporting the same is loosely arranged thc pillow-block 17 of proper-length and width to fit the said chamber and to be received by the opening 12 which has a greater height than the thickness of the block as shown in Fig. 2, to permit a limited vertical adjustment thereof, in the manner hereafter described. This block 17 has upon its outer face a peripheral flange 18 of sufficient width to perfectly inclose the opening 12. Adjacent to the inner face of this flange is preferably arranged a proper packing 19 adapted to securely prevent the intrusion of dust, and prevent the escape of the lubricant.

On the lower face of the chamber 11 and approximately midway of its sides is arranged a pendent boss 20 in which is mounted the vertical adjusting screw 21 provided with a proper lockout 22. This screw 21 preferably has its inner end conicaf pointed and adapted to engage a corresponding registering recess and perfect alinement.

to firmly secure the pillow-block in position in use by the engagement of the inner end thereof with la proper recess in the adjacent face of the block.

The operation and manner of employing my .invention thus described is obvious and briefly stated is as follows: As the weight of the shaft is entirely upon the boxing 14 there will be no appreciable wear upon the upper bushing 7, but will be practically confined to'the bushing 15, therefore, when ever the shaft gets out of alinement fall that is vnecessary is to properly elevate I the pillow block andwith it the bearing '14 .by.means of thescrewfZl, thereby restoring theshaft to its normal E -When :it is desired, for any purpose, toremove or'replace'the'boxing 14bit can readeily becdoneiby simply withdrawingzthe screwv2l from=its engagement with ;the pillow-block, :after which itliis iblock can :be loosened and pushed l outward by -means of:ainail:or other device which isiinsertedainthe opening '13, after which the blockican be withdrawn from i the chamber 11, thereby permitting the boxing 14 to} .drop :down' by'gravity to the bottom of the =chamber after whichlitcan readily 'beiremoved vin =the-same man- :neras the:pi1low block.

"While my invention -.can readily "be adapted for use L with other shafts it is specially designed and adapted for the =wind-wheel shaft of windmills.

Having thus described my invention and the man- -ner:of-\employing the same what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shaft bearing comprising a removable open-top boxing forthe'lower face of the shaft; a supporting casing for the saidboxingand said shaft, having a lateral opening through which the boxing can be removed or inserted without disturbing the shaft; a vertically adjustable pillow block supporting the said boxingwlnd adapted 'fol a limited vertical adjustment; :and means:forwertically;adjusting the vpillow block to compensate rtor wear and i110 preserve the alinement of theshaft. 1

2. "In a shaft bearing a supporting open "top boxing 'removably mounted in the:shaftecasingiandhavinga limited vertical adjustment therein; .a chambered shaftmasing; a supporting pillow block for .thelsaid boxinghaving a vertical'fiange upon its outer face; and a vertical screw engaging 'the said block and adapted to "impart to "the said block :and said :boxing :a vertical adjustment for the ,purpose described.

Signed by me at Fort Wayne, county of.Allen,..and State of Indiana, this 20th day of September, A. D. 1906.

ERANK'T. ZIMMERMAN.

'Witnesses AUGUSTA VIBERG, :AUGUSTE rSPrnGEL. 

